Baja Mania and Baja Destruction coming to Wii

Conspiracy Entertainment Europe have announced two upcoming titles for the Nintendo Wii.

Due for release early 2007 both games will use the Wii remotes functionality to tilt detection to steer and control the vehicles' speed.

Baja racing originates from the Southern California desert on the Baja peninsula. Competitors vie with each other to build the ultimate off-road racer - the better the suspension, tyres and, of course, the obligatory roll cage, the better the chances of winning.

Here's some information from the press release for the two titles:

Baja Mania

Baja Mania draws its inspiration from the desert around Palm Springs where Broadsword Interactive collected the reference material for a previous game, Dakar Rally. During their research, Broadsword discovered Baja racing which takes place in the Southern Californian desert. These races attract a great mix of people from kit car builders to film stars like Paul Newman.
In game vehicles include 3 types of dune buggy (4 wheel), 3 types of 'cat' (6 wheel), 3 types of truck (8 wheels) – each vehicle has 3 variants to represent the different teams with races of up to 15 competitors. Baja Mania offers two modes in single player, Career and Arcade and 2 players is Arcade only.

Baja Mania’s uniqueness presents aggressive and responsive AI that allows tight competition via checkpoints that must be crossed in order. Players will capture the flags on each checkpoint and display them on their aerial to prove that you were the first through.

3 types of terrain and 3 variants of each, which have totally different courses laid out within them, and this all takes place within an arena of approximately 400 sq. metres.

* Win upgrades to build the toughest off-road machine ever.
* Close competition with tight, competitive racing.
* Plot the quickest route across the open terrain via checkpoints to win.
* Use Nitro Boost to storm past the opposition.
* Spend your winnings on a bewildering array of extras.
* Upgrades are locked and you have to earn cash to be able to access them
* Many arenas in which to race.
* Bump-mapping, specular highlights and enhanced lighting.

Its uniqueness is in the fact that the stakes are much higher, the aggression and adrenalin required to complete the race by annihilating the opposition make for total destruction, with an arsenal of weapons and plenty of upgradeables.

Races consist of 15 competitors with 3 different teams for each of the 3 variants within each of the 3 classes. There are 3 types of terrain and 3 variants of each which have totally different courses laid out within them. They take place within an arena of approximately 400 sq. metres.

As well as the vehicle performance upgrades, there are 2 main types of weapon. Each has 3 variations for increasing power and accuracy and variants that go from merely forward firing to auto-targeting (homing).

* Sense the low gravity in the race on the moon!
* Did you get cut up by an opponent? Blast the guy off the planet with a double salvo of rockets.
* It's kill or be killed in a duel to the finish.
* Dodge and weave to avoid the rain of missiles coming your way.
* Patch, repair and upgrade between races.
* Upgrades are locked and you have to earn cash to be able to access them
* Total fantasy racing over varying arenas.
* Bump-mapping, specular highlights and enhanced lighting.